Clutch



Patented June 25, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO A. HOKANON AND JAMES F. KOCA, OF WOODS'JiOCK, ILLINOIS.

CLUTCH.

Application filed July 25, 1927. Serial No. 208,348. Y

This invention relates to a clutch for transmitting movement from one part to anotherand has tor its object the provision of clutching mechanism which will hold the driven part in locked position except when positively actuated but which will automatically release the driven part when the driver is actuated.

A further object is to provide a device vof the class named which shall be of improved construction and operation. Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawing and described in the following spccication, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of clutching mechanism embodying the present invention, the cover plate being removed.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig.v 1.

It will be understood that the invention is applicable to agreatvariety of devices and that many changes may be made in the details ot construction Without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

In the embodiment illustrated, the numeral 10 designates a housing having a central opening 11 in which a sleeve 12 is journaled. A driven member 13 is attached to the sleeve 12 by rivets 14. It will be understood that this member may be a driven part ot' any device which -is held rigidly against rotation by force applied to the member itself but which will be readily rotated by force applied to a driver.

15 designates the driving member having a block 16 fixed thereto and journaled in the sleeve 12. The housing 10 may be attached to any support by fasteners whieh'may .be extended through openings 17. A ring 18 is r secured within the housing 10 by means of cap screws 19 which screws also hold a cover plate 20 in place. The inner surface 01"' the ring is provided with serrations or teeth 21 for engagement with toothed jaws 22 carried bydarms 23 which are pivotally mounted at 24 on a radially extending flange 25 on the sleeve 12. A lever 26 is pivoted at 27 on the flange 25 and is provided with cam lugs 28 which engage contact faces 29 on the ends of the arms 23 to press the arms outwardly, holding the jaws 22 in engagement. ywith the I teeth 21.

Vwill act as a cam to force the lever 26 outwardly, thus releasing the cam lugs 28 and the jaws 22.

Rotation oit the block 16 relative to, the sleeve 12 is limited by spaced stops 33 on the block 16 arranged to engage a pin 34 on the flange 25.

Vhen the parts are in their normal inactive position, as shown in the drawing, it will be apparent that the sleeve 12, and consequently the driven member 13, will be rigidly held against rot-ation relative to the fixed member 10. If the driver 15, however, is rotated in either directiom` the first eeet will be to swing the lever 26 against the spring 30, thus releasing the ends of the arms 23 so that the spring 31 will withdraw the jaws 22 from the contact teeth 21 of the stop ring 18. The initial rotation of the driver 15 will also bring one or the other of the stops 33, depending on the direction of rotation, into engagement with the pin 34 so that further rotation of the driver will be transmitted through the pin 34, flange 25,

and sleeve 12 to the driven member 13. The

driven member 13 may be turned any desired amount, and, upon release of the driver 15, the spring 30 will draw the levers 26 inwardly and force the arms 23 outwardly to bring the jaws 22 into mesh with the teeth 21 and thus lock the 'driven member 13 against rot-ation in either direction.

Ve claim l 1. Clutching mechanism comprising a fixed stop member, a driven member, a detent connected with said driven member for engag- Ying said fixed stop member to hold said driven member against movement, a driver, and means operated by said driver upon initial `movement thereof for releasing said detent, said driver being arranged .to move said driven member on further operation of said driver after therelease of Said'detent. 2. Clutching mechanism comprising a fixed stop member, a driven member, a detent conneeted with said driven member for engaginr.; said `fixed step member te hold Yand driven member from rotation, a driver, and means for releasing said detent upon rotation et' said-driver in either direction.

3. Clutching mechanism comprising a stop member, a driven member, a pair ot clutch aws pivot-ally mounted on said driven member in position to engage said stop member, means for holding` said clutch jaws in engagement with said stop member, a driver for said driven member having lost motion connection therewith, and means connected with said driver Yfor releasing said aws upon initial movement oi said driver.

7 4. Clut'ching mechanism comprising a circular stop member having teeth therein, a driven member, a jaw pivotally mounted on ysaid driven member and having teeth thereon for engaging the teeth on said stop member,- means torholding said jaw in operative engagement with said teeth, a driver, and means operated by said driver oninitia-l rotation thereof in either direction for releasing said jaw, sa'id driver being arranged to rotatejsaid driven member on further rotation thereet after the release of said j aw.v

Y 5. Clutching mechanism comprising a housing-member, a circular stop raclr having internal teeth disposed in said housing member, a driven member extending into said housing member, a. jraw pivoted On said driven member and having'teeth thereon for engaging the teeth or" said stop rack, a driver extending into said housing member andl `having lostv motionl connection with'` said driven member, mean'sony said driver for releasing saidf jaw from said stop rack on initial movement o't said diri-ver, and means for restoring said jaw into engagement with= said stop rack when said river comes to rest.

V6. Clntcl'iing mechanism comprising a `housing member, al driven member, means VixedI to said driven member and extending into said housii'ig member, a jaw pivotally mounted on said? last-named means, a cam lever Vfor holding *said jaw in engagement with said housing member tor preventing rotation of said driven member, a driver, meansfon said driver for operating said ca'm ylever kto release said jaw, a springifor disengaging said jaw trom said housing memL ber vwhen released by said cam lever, and means for limiting rotation of said driver relative to said dfriven member to cause said driver to rotate said driven member atten initial rotation of said driver for releasing saidv cam lever.

7. Glntching mecl'ianism comprising a circular fixed stopmember, a driven member, a pair off jaws pivotally connectedI with Vsaid driven'member andv disposedv adjacent said stopV member, a cam lever engaging the. ends of said jaws, a spring for operating said cam lever tov force said jaws apart into engage-V Vment with said circular stop member, a driver having af cam face thereon for moving said cam lev'er against the torce Yof its spring to release said jaws, al spring for retracting said jaws from said stop member when released by said cam lever, and means for limiti-ng the rotation ot' said driver relative to said driven member to cause said driver to rotate said driven member subsequ'entto initial rotation of said driver.

8. Clutching mechanisnr comprising a housing, a sleeve j ournaled in said housing, a driven member attached to said sleeve outside of said housing, a shaft journaled in said sleeve, interlocking mechanism between said sleeve and housing for normally holding said sleeve against rotation in said housing, and means on said shaft tor releasing saidv interlocking mechanism tol permit said drivenmember t-obe rotated by said shait.

9. Clutching mechanism comprising a housing, a sleeve ourn aled in said housing, a driven member connected with said sleeve, a stop ring attached to said housing, a pair ot clutch jaws pivotally connected with said sleeve for engaging said stop ring, means for,

releasing said clutch jaws, a driver journaled in said sleeve, means actuated upon initial rotation et said driver for releasing said clutch' jaws, and means for limiting relative rotation et said' driver and drivenmember.

IO. ClutchingV mechanism comprising a housing, a. stop ring having internal teeth thereon secured in said housing, a sleeve jol'irnailed in said housing having a radially extending flangey thereon, a pair of outwardly curved clutch aws p-i-votally mounted on said flange', a cam lever having. cam lugs thereon interposed between the ends of said clutch jaws, a spring for actuating said cam lever to 'torce said clutch jaws outwardly into contact with sai'd stop ring, a spring for moving saidY clut-chjaws inwardly when released by said cam lever, a driver journaled in said sleeve', means for limiting the rotation ot said driver relative to saidl driven member, and cam on said driver for moving said cam le ver to-release said clutch jaws on initial rotation ot said driver relative to said driveny member.

11. A clutch havin-g a rotatable driver, a' Y rotatable driven member, means for holding` said driven member inr any position of adjustment to which it is turned, and means operated by said driver upon rotation thereof in either direction to release said holding means. v

In testimony whereot1 we have signed our names to this specification on this 20th day of'July, D. 1927.v

JAMES ixoe'a. erro A. HoKaNsoN. 

